ROOT-NOT NEMATODES IN TOMATOES



4.1       SOIL PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
        The soil sample collected from the experimental site and analyzed in EBSU soil science laboratory for the physical and chemical properties was texturally a sandy clay loam (Table 1)
4.1.1   GALLING INDEX
Roots of the different tomato varieties which includes ‘Tiv local’, ‘Abakaliki landrace’, and ‘UTC Jos’ tomato exposed to the same level of root-knot nematodes in the field, varied in galling response to the nematode. UTC Jos was severally galled as the number of galls on its root system exceeds 30. Moderate root galling occurred on Tiv local tomato variety. Abakaliki tomato variety was lightly galled (Table 2).

4.2       LEAF AREA
Smaller leaf areas occurred on galled tomato varieties than their controls. Highest reduction in leaf area was obtained on UTC Jos tomato variety which was severally galled. This was followed by those of Tiv local variety and then Abakaliki local variety (Table 3).
4.3       PLANT HEIGHT
Plant heights for the uninfected were higher than those of the infected/galled plants. Least plant height was recorded on severely galled UTC Jos tomato variety. Abakaliki local variety had the highest plant height.
4.3.1   NUMBER OF FRUITS
Abakaliki local which was lightly galled produced the highest number (5.75) of fruits per plant. The severely galled UTC Jos variety produced the least (1.75) number of fruits per plant (Table3)
                                         
Table 1:  Soil Physical and Chemical Analysis

SOIL PROPERTIES                                                       
                                            VALUES

pH                                                                     5.75
ORGANIC CARBON                                                                 1.20%
ORGANIC MATTER                                                                  2.07%
NITROGEN                                                                                0.105%
CALCIUM                                                                                   4.00C mol/100g
MAGNESSIUM                                                                          20.80C mol/100g
PHOSPHORUS                                                                           22.50 mg/kg
POTASSIUM                                                                              0.14C mol/100g
SODIUM                                                                                     0.096C mol/100g
TOTAL POROSITY                                                                      40.26%
BULK DENSITY                                                                           1.53cm³
MOISTURE CONTENT                                                               12.0%
SAND                                                                                           54.6%
CLAY                                                                                            17.6%
SILT                                                                                              20.91%
TEXTURAL CLASS                                                                      SANDY CLAY LOAM



Table 2: Galling Index on Tiv Local, Abakaliki Landrace and UTC
      Jos Tomato Varieties.

TOMATO VARIETIES           ROOT-GALL INDEX     MEAN NUMBER OF ROOT-GALLS
                                                                                      PER VARIETY                     

TIV LOCAL                           3                                              17.25                                                                

ABAKALIKI                         2                                              4.75   
LANDRACE                                                              

UTC JOS                               4                                                30.5                                                                   

Table 3:          Effect of the Tomato Varieties on Root-Gall Responses, Leaf
Areas, Plant Height and Fruit Yields.

TREATMENT  
NUMBER OF GALLS/ROOT SYSTEM
ROOT-GALL INDEX (0-4)
LEAF AREA (Cm²)
PLANTHEIGHT
NUMBER OF FRUITS YIELD

TIV LOCAL                17.25             3                   0.95              63.0                    3.0

ABAKALIKI LOCAL     4.75             2                 1.53                   90.1                 5.75

UTC JOS                     30.5            4                   0.95                    61.9               1.75

F-LSD (0.05)                                                              0.08                  8.4                   1.21


4.4       DISCUSSION
The result of these study showed that the UTC Jos tomato variety are more susceptible to root – galled nematode, because high number of root – galls were recorded in them. Also, they show significant difference in the leaf areas and plant heights. Kirkpatrick et al, (1991) reported that the xylem vessels of infected roots are disrupted and consequently interfere with absorption and translocation of water and nutrients on the shoot region of the infected plants.
Fruit yield:  the experimental results, showed that there was reduced fruit yield associated with root-galling on the different tomato varieties which could be as a result of nematode feeding on the root system and reducing the ability of the plant to obtain water and nutrient from the soil. (Agu, 2008). It could also be as a result of excessive lateral roots which tend to use up available nutrients supposed for the plant growth and development (Hague, 1980).


5.0                                                    CONCLUSION
UTC Jos tomato varieties were highly susceptible to root-knot nematode attack in Abakaliki agro-ecology. This was followed by Tiv local variety. The Abakaliki local was least susceptible to the nematode. The degree of susceptibility of the different tomato varieties affected both the growth parameters and yield.
5.1       RECOMMENDATION
‘Abakaliki landrace’ tomato variety should be used for planting in Abakaliki agro-ecology because it showed more resistance to root-knot nematode than others which were more susceptible and consequently yielded lower fruits.
                                     
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